Pre-war shoplots over 100 years old gutted in Kuantan fire

Kuantan, September 2 — A pair of historic shopfronts on Jalan Mahkota were consumed by fire overnight, with flames engulfing the upper levels of a clothing store. Pahang Fire and Rescue Department director Datuk Mohd Razam Taja Rahim reported that a distress signal was received at 11:33 pm, prompting the Kuantan fire station to be the first to respond.

Upon arrival, the flames were already raging on the upper floor of Unit No. 43, a clothing outlet. The blaze had also spread to the upper level of the neighboring building. Preliminary investigations indicated the fire was confined to the upper floor of the clothing store, which is believed to be the origin. The ground floor sustained minimal damage.

Efforts to extinguish the fire and prevent any rekindling continue, with no water supply issues reported and no casualties. The Fire Investigation Unit has yet to ascertain the exact cause of the blaze and the extent of the losses. Both premises are estimated to be over 100 years old, constructed primarily with timber, which exacerbated the rapid spread of the fire.

The firefighting and rescue operation involved 33 personnel from Kuantan, Indera Mahkota, Gebeng, Taman Tas, and Peramu fire stations. The clothing shop owner, Norhan Mohd Nor, 51, stated he received news of the incident around 11:30 pm and arrived at the scene approximately 15 minutes later. Norhan explained that the shop served as a storage and distribution center for his two clothing stores in Kuantan, and was also holding a significant amount of new inventory for the holiday season.

He expressed that the losses were substantial, as the shop functioned as the central hub for distributing stock to other outlets.